Process of treating textile fabric for reinforcing insoles



E. A. ELLIS 2,101,987

PROCESS OF TREATING TEXTILE FABRIC FOR REINFORCING INSOLES Dec. 14,1937.

Filed Aug. 16, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 14, 1937.

E. A. ELLIS PROCESS OF TREATING TFXTILE FABRIC FOR REiNFORC-ING INSOLES5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. l6, 1934 G INSOLES E. A. ELLIS Dec. 14,1937.

PROCESS OF TREATING TEXTILE FABRIC FOR REINFORCIN Filed Aug. 16, 1934 5Sheets-Sheet 3 awwwn Patented Dec. 14, 1937 PATENT OFFICE PROCESS OFTREATING TEXTILE FABRIC FOB REINFORCING INSOLES Elmer A. Ellis, Medford,M888. Application August 16, 1934, Serial No. 740,090

1 'Claim.

, My present'invention is a novel and improved method of treatingorcoating duck, canvas, or

the like textile material to be applied as a reinforcing to insoles,particularly welt insoles for 3. use in the manufacture of boots andshoes.

This reinforcing process, well known as gemming, has long been employedin boot and shoe manufacture. Heret-ofore two processes have beenutilized: The .fhot process, wherein the 10 coating applied to thereinforcing duck'and the cement coating appliedthereto for attachment tothe insole has been put through a steaming or heating process where arelatively high degree of heat is necessary to render the coating "tackyand enable the reinforcing duckto be applied to and adhere closely tothe insole, particularly to the sewing rib and the underseam groove,usually at the base of the rib.

The other method has been the cold process A constant disadvantage withsuch material Y 3 has been the necessity of shipping the same in rollsto a shoe factory after the duck had been coated and to either keep theadhesive in condition for use or to specially treat the coating so thatit could be applied to the insoles.

) By my present invention I have devised a compact, eflicient apparatusand a process whereby the duck to be used for reinforcing or gemminginsoles can be coated and slightly heated directly on the job andapplied to the insoles to be reinforced.

Preferably also I provide my apparatus with means for treating twostrips of duck simultaneously, thus doubling the normal capacity.

Furthermore, an additional novelty in the presl ent invention consistsin the arrangement whereby I am enabled to apply two coatings to theduck on its passage through my apparatus, thus utilizing plain unsizedcanvas and treating and coating it with suitable adhesive which, forthis purpose,

i is maintained in a perceptibly'heated state, viz: substantially aboveany cold process or room temperature methods, such as shown in my priorPatent No. 1,830,534, datedNovember- 3, 1931, but which temperature isnot of any relatively high degree. High temperatures involve danger offire, explosion, etc., and by my present invention I am enabled toobtain all the advantages incident to a heated gemming process, whichgreatly facilitates the set of the canvas, particularly at the base ofthe sewing rim, where it is most level of the water within the base I.

important, without the fire risk and danger heretofore incident to aheated process.

This method of double coating enables me to utilize extremelyinexpensive duck while treating and coating it on the job, giving asizing if 5 necessary and then an adhesive coating or applying two thinadhesive coatings Just prior to the gemming operation.

Other advantages, important features, and combinations will behereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed. 1 1

Referring to the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of myinvention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view with a portion of the cover or top broken awayillustrating my improved l5 apparatus; 4

Fig. 2 is a side view;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail on the line treating machine, whereinduplicate applying and treating devices are arranged in combination.

As shown in the drawings, l designates the frame or base of my machineadapted to be fitted on a bench or any suitable support adjacent theinsole gemming station in a shoe factory. Preferably, this base is ofsufficient depth to contain water, which is heated by an electricalheating unit 2 receiving current from any suitable source bf supply. Thebase I has a lateral-extension 3, with a cored recess designated at 4opening intoan upstanding holder 5 which is 5 fitted to receive aninverted latex bottle and, by vacuum feed, permit a continuous supply oflatex and at a predetermined level at the base of the receptacle i0.

I prefer to form the base I of suflicient depth to constitute both awater-receiving receptacle and to support and hold a cementandrollreceiving boxlike structure l0, which will have the lower portionimmersed below the normal This memher I. is provided with extending lugs6-6 and 1-! arranged in pairs to overlap the side edges of the walls ofthe base I (see Fig. 3), which lugs also constitute means for attachingand locking the upper part or heated cover of my apparatus.

Within the member II I mount a set of supports or bridges l2-|2connected by a central cross-bar II to hold the same in suitable spacingand with grooves formed therein to receive the axles ll of feed rolls 20and 2|. In this member V I0 is put a quantity of resinous emulsion,vulcanized latex, which is fed to the canvas as it passes over the feedrolls, as will be explained. Fitted also within the member I0 is astripper plate to remove surplus coating material from the canvas'beforeit passes out from within the area of the box i0. Removably secured tothe box in is a top or cover 30, having thin heat transmitting plates 3|and 32, and a heating coil 33 contained therein receiving heat from anysuitable source of supply. On the lower portion 32 is aflixed a pressuremember 35, of semi-cylindrical contour, midway between and dependingbelow the topportion of the rolls 2|! and 2i. I also afiix to the cover32 a spring-pressure member 36 to cooperate with the stripper member 25to press against the opposite and uncoated surface of the canvas as thesame is fed through the apparatus.

To hold the cover in position I form the same with a pair of outwardlyextending lugs 40-40 at the front of the machine, to which are pivotedthreaded locking clamps 4l'4l, having a pair of thumb nuts 42 and 43adapted to engage the lugs 5 on the box l0, said lugs being slotted forthis purpose as shown at 44. Manipulation of the thumb nuts 42 and 43thus not only serve to lock the top member 35 to the box 2 but alsoaiford capacity for, adjustment of the same and hence of the bearingmembers 35 and 35. Attached to the cover 30 opposite the lugs 45 are apair of depending arms 45 having trunnions 41, 41 resting in recesses inthe lugs l1, H, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Preferably I form the cover 35 with a straight fiat portion where itextends from the width of the box i0 and within the bevelled-or inclinedportion to the left (viewed in Figs. 3 and 5) to facilitate the travelof the canvas 54. At the front of the machine (viewed in the right ofFigs. 3 and 5) I apply to the cover portion 34. a guide roll 53 mountedon axles 54 in hearings in the covemasshown.

0n the base I at the left of the machine, viewed in Figs. 3fand 5, afeedroll is fitted in brackets 51 on the base I and a cooperating feed roll551s fitted on the brackets 1 attached to the box III. The cover 35 maybe released by loosening the locking nuts 42 and 43, whereupon thelevers 4| are swung out of the grooves 44 and the entire -co.ver liftedupwardly. 'I'hereupon the canvas 55 is led through the machine in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 3, over the guide rolls 55 and 55 acrossthe tops of the feed rolls 25 and 2i and, thereupon, the cover 30 islowered and the canvas 55 led from the guide roll 53 and across theplate ll of the cover extending downwardly in the direction of the arrowto convenient reach of the workman.

This operation also acts to force the pressure. member .35 and springpressure member 55 in contact with the canvas 20, the former depressingthe strip below the level and in intimate contact with the tops of thefeed rolls 25 and 12l, while the spring 35 holds the canvas in intimatecontact with the top of the stripper plate 25. Pref-. erably the firstfeed roll 20 will be provided with a series of transverse grooves orcorrugations to facilitate carrying up the heated selution to apply tothe contacting surface of "the canvas belt 55 while the second feed roll2! will largely produce a smooth and spreading action, which iscompleted by the stripper 25 which also removes sur- I pl'us material tofall back. into the bottom of the box it. I 'I'hebeltlfiisthenledov'ertherolluandreversely across the heated plate 3iincontact with the same, thus eifecting a substantially instantaneoussetting of the material, latex, or the like, fed to the opposite surfaceof the belt 50 in its passage over the feed rolls 20 and 2i.

With the apparatus as thus far described, it will be appreciatedthat theheating unit .2' will bring the water in the base i to any desiredtemperature. I find that for such an immersion heater, a unit of thirtywatts capacity is sumcient. Under the heating unit .33 a capacity offorty watts is sufilcient. Ahigh heat service can be given to the heater33 if it is desired to feed through the belt 50 at greater speed than iscustomary in order to effect the setting of the solution on the belt 50in a shorter time.

As thus far described, it will be appreciated that the canvas strip orbelt, preferably of unsized' and uncoated material, is fed through theapparatus and the heated emulsion is applied thereto by the feed rolls2!! and 2|. ,1 find that a temperature of approximately 100 F. is amplefor this purpose in view of the subsequent heating and setting. The belt50 is fed through either continually or intermittently by hand, as theoperator may pull off a strip from the delivery end of the cover 35,coat same, and apply it to the insole.

' This operation will give sufiiclent time for the setting of acorresponding section of the belt which has now been pulled intoposition over the heated plate 3!. .The operation is repeated andcontinued.

Preferably I arrange the apparatus of sufllcient' width to take twobelts, as shown in Fig. 2, so

thatone operator can work on each side, if desired, and'pairs of shoescan be gemmed simultaneously.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a s1ight.modification in which the heatedplate is here shown with a pair of guiding rims 5| on each edge, thusfacilitating the travel of the belt 54 over the heatingplate as well asguiding. and giving frictional grip on same.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a double unit wherein successive coatingsare applied to the samesurface, of the belt 50. For this purpose I du-'pllcate the construction of the feeding andheating devices, as aboveexplained, but showing the first heating member 55in a cover 56 which ishorizontal in position and is provided with a guide roll 52 mounted in apair of upstanding lugs-41 on one edge of the machine, to the leftviewed in Fig. '5, around which the canvas belt or strip 55 is ledupwardly to the first guide roll 55 on the second coating machine.

By this arrangement, also, I may prefer to mount the top member Idirectly vupon but spaced from'the lower member by means of a set offour'posts 15. passing through appropriate holes or recesses in the basefianges ll of the upper tank Linto sockets in the flanges I2 of thelower part in the bottom member with spacing tubes rum which the upperunit may rest. aetion'of each unit is identicaland the heating member 55maybe of sufilcient power, such as eighty watts, to effect a morethorough drying of the, st coat before the same surface of the belt .55is treated to a second coat. Furthermore, this first coat may be a"priming or sizing of an desired material or consistency, while thesecond coating is preferably of a latex emulsion and is mainly foradhesive purposes to attach he reinforcing canvas onto the insole.

I believe that my method of thus"maklng and ii coating a strip, orplurality of strips, of canvas for insole reinforcing, by applying latexor other material directly to one surface, instantaneously setting it,and all at a relatively slight degree of heat, viz: 110 F. or somewhatgreater, is a distinct novelty and improvement in this art. I alsobelieve that the application of a plurality of coatings in the mannerdescribed is new and, therefore, I wish to claim the same herein broad-1y.

Furthermore, my compact, simple, economical apparatus is neat, clean,and operates at a degree of heat which eliminates risk and danger offire, explosion, or the like, as well as absolutely preventing anydamage to the leather on which the reinforcing layer is applied, and Ibelieve the same is new and useful and, hence, wish to claim the same.

I claim: I

That improvement in the method of reinforcing insoles by applying fabricthereto, which consists in conducting a continuous strip of uncoated andunsized fabric thru successive treating and drying operations as animmediate step in applying the reinforcing to insoles, said treating anddrying being in immediate sequence as a substantially simultaneousaction at relatively high speed, said treating consisting of applying aliquid sizing and adhesive to one surface only of the fabric strip, andthereupon reversing the line of travel of the now-treated strip, andconducting the same with the untreated surface in contact with-a heatedplate, whereby the fabric is treated, partially dried, and renderedtacky for immediate use in reinforcing insoles.

' ELMER A. ELLIS.

